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Friday, November 18, 2016

ATF National Response Team Concludes Investigation of the Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce Fire

Cause of the Fire Determined to be Accidental

BEAUFORT, S.C. — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team and the Beaufort/Port Royal Fire
Department today announced the preliminary findings in the Beaufort County
Black Chamber of Commerce fire that occurred on Nov. 12, 2016. While components
of the investigation will continue, the investigative entities have determined
that the fire was accidental.

ATF's NRT arrived on-scene at 711 Bladen St. on Sunday, Nov.
13, 2016 to assist the Beaufort/Port Royal Fire Department, the South Carolina
Law Enforcement Division (SLED), the City of Beaufort Police Department and the
Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation. The NRT’s primary
mission is to concentrate ATF explosives and fire investigative resources and
expertise on large scale incidents and investigations. The NRT provides an
immediate and sustained nationwide response capability, typically deploying within
24 hours of notification, with state-of-the-art equipment and the most
qualified ATF personnel.

"ATF partners with state and local agencies to combine
resources and bring in additional expertise to these complex
investigations," said ATF Charlotte Field Division’s Special Agent in
Charge C.J. Hyman. "We are fortunate to have come to a determination in
this case and appreciate the collaborative effort from all the partners
involved."

The teams work alongside state and local officers in
reconstructing the scene, identifying the seat of the blast or origin of the
fire, conducting interviews, and sifting through debris to obtain evidence
related to the bombing/arson.

In addition to investigating hundreds of scenes, the NRT has
also been activated to scenes such as the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the
Oklahoma City federal building bombing and the Sept. 11, 2001, Pentagon crash
site, West Texas explosion, as well as blasts at explosives and ammunition
manufacturing plants, legal fireworks factories and illegal explosive device
manufacturing operations.